Kokomo and Howard County were designated as an Indiana Healthy Community by the Wellness Council of Indiana during the Wellness Summit on Sept. 17 in downtown Indianapolis.
The Indiana Healthy Community initiative aims to help communities focus on implementing and sustaining a culture of health and well-being to spur economic vitality.
A division of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, the Wellness Council takes a workforce development and economic improvement approach by focusing heavily on employer participation in wellness programs.
To obtain the community designation, the Greater Kokomo Economic Development Alliance worked with the Wellness Council to assess our community’s programs, services and infrastructure in the areas of health, economy, environment and community.
Using data from that assessment and other sources to determine our community’s needs, the Alliance then brought together key stakeholders to develop a Healthy Community Action Plan.
Through this plan and the recognition as an Indiana Healthy Community, we have developed a comprehensive strategy to move toward long-term health and economic prosperity.